WASHINGTON – Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.5 million head on April 1, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

The inventory was 2 percent above the year-ago period, NASS reported. The inventory included 7.17 million steers and steer calves, and increase of 1 percent from the previous year. Steer and steer calves accounted for 62 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.25 million head, up 4 percent from 2011, according to NASS.

Placements in feedlots during March retreated 6 percent to 1.79 million. Net placements were 1.72 million head, according to NASS. During March, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 lbs. were 390,000, 600-699 lbs. were 300,000, 700-799 lbs. were 500,000, and 800 lbs. and greater were 602,000.
Marketings of fed cattle during March totaled 1.92 million, a 4 percent decrease from 2011, NASS said. Other disappearance totaled 69,000 during March, 30 percent above 2011.